


Connected

by afteriwake



Series: A Thousand Suns [20]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-16
Updated: 2012-10-16
Packaged: 2017-11-16 10:50:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/538646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes the things left behind are the things with the most meaning, especially words written in love, and those that help pick up the pieces are the most important people in the world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Connected

**Author's Note:**

> I have come to realize I kill Ukitake an awful lot. Three times I’ve killed him, I think? Anyway, I usually don’t give him a really…not a poignant death, but a death that has meaning. I wanted to make sure that this time there was something important happening because he died, aside from Rukia becoming captain. Set hours after “Brand New Day.”

It was only later, after her nii-sama and the others had been briefed, that she was given the package. She had been so transfixed by the haoris that Kyoraku was carrying that she hadn’t noticed the small parcel her brother had carried through. He pulled her aside and without much explanation handed it to her.

Ichigo’s house was a madhouse, as they all were there finishing the dinners they had abandoned earlier in the evening, so she made her way to the roof, where the sound of conversation that was so glaring indoors was merely a murmur. She had seen Renji and Ichigo give her speculative looks, but she was glad neither of them had followed her.

She opened up the package, and spotted the two letters on top first, and a bundle of letters underneath. They were both addressed to her, but she only recognized the handwriting of one of them. She set that letter aside and opened the other one first. It was a list of last wishes, from her captain. Not all of them were addressed to her, but her section was among the largest. Once she had been given the haori she knew she would be inheriting his quarters; in this document it was stated that anything that was left after the named possessions had been given out belonged to her to do with what she would, but under no circumstances was anyone to take the jade chess set except her.

She smiled at that. She had done more division business in her captain’s quarters over games of chess played with that set. And she had played many games; it had only been right before she left that she won her first game. She knew he loved chess, and she had hoped deep in her heart that he would leave that set to her, even though he played with anyone willing to spend time with him. She knew what she would do with some of the other things, things that she knew were special to others, but she was content to know he knew she would love that most of all.

There was also a list of things he wanted her to do. Captain Kyoraku had been right; at the top of his list was his desire for her to be a good captain and lead the division well. That truly had been one of his last wishes. The rest was easy to take care of. The next was to pass out the bundle of letters enclosed to those they were addressed to. She picked them up and flipped through them quickly. Hisagi…Nanao…Matsumoto…Renji. Ikkaku and Yumichika would have to get their letters when she returned. There was also a letter for Ichigo, thicker than the others, heavier. He had told her some things, and she had a good idea what that letter contained. She hoped Ichigo would not be angry, but she thought that he already knew, deep down.

Another thing he wanted was to have money sent every month to a woman in the Rukongai, who ran a home for children with no parents. He had told her about that place, and how he had taken children he had found in the lower districts there to give them better lives. If the money needed to come out of her own personal expenses she would make sure that wish was honored. The fourth item on the list was another simple matter, to keep a close eye on his two third seats. She chuckled; he had spent the last two years trying to get them to get along, and he didn’t want all the hard work spoiled overnight. Of course, he probably hadn’t realized Kiyone would be promoted to lieutenant. She had observed them both that evening and they appeared to be grieving. When their grief was done she would see how they truly accepted the new change in ranking.

His last item was for her to read the letter he had written for her. She set down his list and picked it up, fingering it. She broke the seal on the back carefully and pulled the paper out of the envelope and began to read.

_To Rukia,_

_First, I want you to know how proud I am of you. I have watched you grow and blossom every day that you have been in my presence. I had hoped you would be here when my time came so I could tell you in person. I should have told you before, and often, but I always thought I would have time. But time runs out for us all, and time has run out for me. I know I will be gone soon, and things are far too important where you are for you to leave and be here when I pass. And perhaps putting it down on paper isn’t that bad of a thing. Eventually you might forget my telling you. If it’s written down you just need to re-read it to know._

_I fought your brother vehemently all those years ago to make you my lieutenant. I am glad that he withdrew his objections and you were able to take on the position. You do it a great honor. You know I was very fond of Kaien and was heartbroken when he died, though not nearly as much as you. He did his job well, and you have lived up to his legacy. You both have been the best lieutenants I could have asked for, and you should remember this when you need to deal with your new lieutenant, whoever that might be. They have a legacy to live up to. Do not be too harsh on them._

_When I was a young man I had hoped to have children, before my illness. Afterwards I was told it was not a good idea, so I resigned myself to not having any. I regretted it the older I got. And then you came into the division, and I saw something in you that drew me to you. Not because you were in the Kuchiki clan, but because you reminded me of the woman I had loved when I was young, the woman I had hoped to father children with. I had always wanted any children I had to be like her, and you were. So I took a special interest in you. Rukia, I consider you as close to me as a daughter. And as someone resembling a father, I want to give you some fatherly advice: do not choose to be alone. Do not choose to shut yourself off from others, as you sometimes do._

_I watched your relationship with young Lieutenant Abarai and I had hope that perhaps you would settle. I will even admit that I had held hope you might turn to young Ichigo Kurosaki as a companion. But you did not, and in some ways I think it is for the best. You are still young yet, and there is time. But do not put it off forever. Be happy with someone who will treat you well, who will respect you and love you with all of their being. And love him fully. Do not hold yourself back, do not retreat into yourself. You may have an ice zanpakatou, but you are not a creature of ice. You are warm and loving and someone who would be a good friend and good companion till the end of their days._

_Do not grieve for me for long. I lived far longer than I should have, had many more adventures and met many more people than had ever been expected of me. I have lived a full life. I have seen grief eat at you before, and I know you will not be here at my side when I die, and I do not want that to add to your grief. Be there for Kiyone and Sentarou, and Shunsui and Retsu. I hate to say it but you are stronger than them, and you will have to be their rock. I hate to put that burden on you, but I must. Please do not hate me for it._

_And finally, be there for Ichigo when he is done reading my letter. I suspect Ginjou Kugo has told him things, about the true meaning of being a substitute shinigami and what that badge meant. There was truth in his words, and one of my last living acts was to make sure Ichigo knew the truth from me, the whole truth. He may be hurt or angry, and I want you to be there for him to assure him that he exceeded what we expected of him by a great distance, and that I believe, should he ever decide to go or be sent to Soul Society, that he will be a fine shinigami in his own right, and will do great things. If he had not gotten his powers back or had lost them when Ginjou removed his other abilities I had pushed for each of us to donate a portion of our powers to help him regain his. I have great faith in him as a shinigami, as a protector and as a person, and I want you to help him understand that._

_Live well and live long, and promise my memory that you will try and be happy because you, Rukia Kuchiki, deserve happiness. I am glad to have known you, and glad to know that you will continue on in my legacy as captain. I wish you the best._

_Jushiro Ukitake_

She had not realized tears were streaming down her cheeks until one hit the paper, and she dashed them away and took a deep breath. It was then that she felt the other presences on the roof. “At least I got to read the letter in peace,” she said quietly.

“We weren’t coming up to bother you,” Ichigo said, sitting on her left as Renji sat down on her right. “We were just worried.”

“I know,” she said with a smile towards him, and then she turned to Renji, and then back to the letter in her hands. “There’s letters for you both as well.”

Ichigo looked at the bundle, and picked it up. “May I?”

“Go ahead,” she said with a nod before leaning back and resting on her elbows, turning to look up at the sky. She felt Ichigo lean over her to hand Renji his letter, and then stared at the stars as they read. Both men were quiet, and Renji chuckled at one point. Soon he laid down next to her, flat on his back with his fingers laced behind his head. A few minutes later Ichigo did the same.

“I had figured that out years ago,” Ichigo said after a moment. “But I’m glad he told me the truth.”

“He was proud of you,” Rukia said with a smile. “He had a whole paragraph in my letter stating that because he wanted me to be there when you read your letter and let you know.”

“He must have underestimated me a bit,” Ichigo said with a slight chuckle. “I always have been smart.”

“But not particularly modest,” Rukia teased.

“I’m modest about some things,” Ichigo replied. “You’ve been away too long to remember.”

“He told me he hoped I became captain someday,” Renji said. “He had faith I would be a good leader because I was a good man.”

“I don’t think he realized it would be quite this soon,” she replied, turning to look at him.

“No, probably not.” He paused. “What else was in your letter, if you don’t mind telling us?”

“He told me he considered me to be his daughter,” she said with a smile, “and he told me not to be alone.”

“You have us,” Ichigo said.

“I know that, but he meant not to be alone in the other sense. To be in a relationship, to be loved. He didn’t want me to be alone my whole life like he was.” She sat up again, and hugged her knees to her chest. “I know behind my back I’ve been called the Ice Princess of the Kuchiki clan. Especially after my relationship with you ended, Renji. Everyone assumed it was all my fault.”

“Yeah, I know. And I probably could have done more to break those rumors,” he said, shifting so he was in the position Rukia had just been in. “But it was my fault just as much as it was yours.”

She turned and smiled at him. “Sometimes…sometimes I envy Arisawa-san. And other times I know I’m just not good enough for you, that you deserve better, and you have better.” Then she turned to Ichigo. “He wished at one point that I may have begun a relationship with you.”

He got wide-eyed, and then chuckled. “He must have only seen us together on our good days and missed all the physical abuse you used to heap on me.”

“Probably,” she said with a soft laugh. “I love you both, I do, but not in that way. I could not ask for better best friends. I _could_ ask for better female friends, though. I had missed Inoue-kun’s company sorely while I was back in Soul Society, and even now I do not spend much time with her.”

“It’s what she gets for getting married,” Ichigo said with a shrug. “Ishida’s the center of her life now.”

“And I envy her, and I miss her,” Rukia replied sadly.

“She almost came up here with us, you know,” Renji said. “She’s worried too. She wasn’t there when you found out, obviously, but Rangiku-san told her what had happened and she rushed over. You’re still important to her.”

“That’s good to know,” she said, a smile forming on her face.

“I have a question, completely off the topic we’re on now,” Renji said.

“Yeah?” Ichigo said.

“What are we going to do when all of this is over?” he asked. “Rukia and I are captains now. There’s no way we’ll be able to stay here when we aren’t at war.”

Ichigo sat up, and tilted his head up to look at the stars. “We’ll make things work. There are ways.” Then he paused. “What are you going to do about Tatsuki?”

“I don’t know,” Renji said quietly. “I know she can’t come with me, and I’m pretty sure I can’t stay here. It’s going to have to end eventually. I just don’t know how to tell her.”

Rukia laid a hand on his arm. “If you need me for anything, I am here for you.”

“Thanks,” he said with a nod. “We should probably get back inside soon. Inoue’s probably worried sick by now.”

“Yeah,” Ichigo said, standing up. He offered Rukia his hand and she took it, and he lifted her up. “It’s so weird seeing you two as captains, but cool, too.”

“It’s weird _being_ one,” Renji said as he stood up. “But I guess we’ll get used to it.”

“We have to,” Rukia said, gathering the bundle and putting it in the pocket of the hooded sweatshirt her gigai was wearing. “But we’ll do it soon enough.” She turned to her friends and smiled. “We should celebrate. I know earlier I said I should not receive congratulations for this promotion, but I doubt he would have wanted me not to celebrate his life and his wishes. Perhaps we could go somewhere and do something.”

“Grab everyone else and do karaoke or something?” Ichigo suggested.

Rukia shook her head. “No, just the three of us. Maybe we could go somewhere tomorrow night and have a nice dinner or…something. And talk. I always feel like there so much the three of us can talk about.”

“Sounds good to me,” Renji said with a grin as he headed to the door to go back inside. “Ichigo pays, though.”

“Why me?” Ichigo said, following him.

“Because you didn’t make captain,” he called back. He stopped and turned round, looking at Rukia, who hadn’t moved. “Don’t you agree, _Captain_ Kuchiki?”

She laughed and moved forward, looping one arm into Ichigo’s and then dragging him to Renji and doing the same with him. “While it would be fair, _Captain_ Abarai, I’ll pay because it was my idea.” She smiled at each of them. “That should settle any argument.”

“Except where to go,” Ichigo and Renji chorused. They looked over Rukia’s head at each other and grinned.

“I pay, I choose,” she said, taking a step forward and urging them along. “Any problems with that, boys?”

“Nope,” Renji said.

“Nah,” Ichigo replied.

“Good. Then let’s get back in before everyone thinks bad thoughts.” She suddenly let go of their arms and raced to the door. “Last one in has to eat hot pickled peppers tomorrow night!”

Both men took off after her, and by the time they reached the door at the same time she was laughing, her worries behind her for the moment. With her boys by her side, she would be absolutely fine in the days to come, whatever those days may bring.


End file.
